The Department of Education will soon begin collecting defaulted federal student loans and garnishing wages. Borrowers currently in default status can apply for loan consolidation or rehabilitation to get back into good standing.

Starting next month, the Education Department says student loans that are in default will be referred for collections. Roughly 5.3 million borrowers are in default on their federal student loans and soon could be subject to having their wages garnished.

U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced the restart of involuntary collections on defaulted student loans starts in two weeks.